Soma Jawbone A-Type Review by Adventure Cyclist
... For a touring bike, the Jawbone climbs well. With high-volume 29in. tires, it felt playful on paved and unpaved climbs alike. It doesn’t accelerate quickly, but unless you’re talking ultra-high-end custom builds, few full-steel 29er bikes will. But once you get it going, the Jawbone is an enjoyable uphill ride. The bike’s relatively light weight and its comfortable tubing, coupled with Soma’s relaxed, upright geometry, make light, pleasant work of long climbs. You might not go fast, but you’ll have fun.... [Full article]
... For a touring bike, the Jawbone climbs well. With high-volume 29in. tires, it felt playful on paved and unpaved climbs alike. It doesn’t accelerate quickly, but unless you’re talking ultra-high-end custom builds, few full-steel 29er bikes will. But once you get it going, the Jawbone is an enjoyable uphill ride. The bike’s relatively light weight and its comfortable tubing, coupled with Soma’s relaxed, upright geometry, make light, pleasant work of long climbs. You might not go fast, but you’ll have fun.... [Full article]
Soma Grand Randonneur Tested in Multiple Guises
The Grand Randonneur takes some getting used to but really shines when you ride it as it’s intended to be used – as a Randonneuring bike. The geometry is comfortably average when compared to other low-trail bikes. The 399mm of reach feels great for me on the 61cm frame with a 110mm stem. Cornering on low-trail frames may take some getting used to, but it can be really fun once you get the hang of it.
The bike holds its line very well, but it takes significantly more input in and out of turns. Over the last year and a half, I’ve set the bike up as a light touring bike, a gravel race bike, and a Randonneuring bike, and I have had very different experiences with each configuration. [Full article]
The Grand Randonneur takes some getting used to but really shines when you ride it as it’s intended to be used – as a Randonneuring bike. The geometry is comfortably average when compared to other low-trail bikes. The 399mm of reach feels great for me on the 61cm frame with a 110mm stem. Cornering on low-trail frames may take some getting used to, but it can be really fun once you get the hang of it.
The bike holds its line very well, but it takes significantly more input in and out of turns. Over the last year and a half, I’ve set the bike up as a light touring bike, a gravel race bike, and a Randonneuring bike, and I have had very different experiences with each configuration. [Full article]
Soma Condor 2 Handlebar
The Soma Fabrications Condor 2 Shallow drop bar is the love child of riser and drop. Aimed at touring, cyclo cross, gravel and commuting audiences, the flared profile is designed so more time, can be spent on the drops. Soma have revised the shape slightly, meaning there’s more useable space, for hands and accessories alike.
Pros: Much improved design, great for rough stuff/touring, gravel riding.
Cons: Quite pricey. Better choices for speed conscious audax and competitive cross.
[Full Review]
Soma Wolverine Frame Review:
"...No doubt, there are a lot of bikes on the market promising versatility. Soma Wolverine is a fine example of one that offers highly functional versatility with a few features, such as the sliding dropouts and belt drive capability, that set it apart from entry-level offerings. It’s easy to see this as a versatile drop-bar solution for anyone outside of the performance road or ‘cross racing realm..."
[Full Review]
Soma Woodie-20 Multi-Tool
"Overall performance is pretty good, but then I'd expect it to be. Slightly chewed cleat, grot blasted mudguard and bottle boss bolts were easily exorcised, using the T25 bit, rather than the 4mm: the Torx splines mate more securely, reducing the likelihood of rounding.....The rounded wooden side plates also fit nicely in the palm, reducing discomfort tackling these and rogue square taper crank bolts. Getting the latter wound suitably tight required some patience but wasn't overly laborious. No grazed knuckles and agricultural language to date.
Bikes Etc. Magazine UK Reviews the Smoothie
Highlights:
"absolutely a mid-70's Stevie Nicks-level gorgeous. It's hard not to warm to a bike when it looks this good. Luckily, even it were pug-ugly the Soma would still endear itself with a ride that is, as its name suggests, extremely smooth."
"(The geometry) Not too slack, not too flighty, just right. The head tube is moderately tall, so the default position is more suited to hours in the saddle than smashing out hot laps. The frame does a fantastic job of drowning out the chatter; making pockmarked roads feel more like freshly-laid tarmac and is definitely the most comfortable on test.[This was a multi-bike test.]
"Classly retro lookis combine with a comportable yet fast, responsive and lively ride. Overall marks: 8.5/10"
[The test bike was built with a Kinesis carbon fork, Fulcrum 5 wheels, and a Shimano 105 gruppo] (April 2016)
Soma Supple Vitesse Tires Reviewed By thePathLessPedaled.com
The popular bike travel website does a video review on our Supple Vitesse EX tires.
Soma Cazadero Tires Reviewed By RidingGravel.com
An indepth review in 3 parts by Guitar Ted: "The standout feature for me is the Cazadero’s smoother center section which really allows the tire to roll easily on hard pack or pavement. The sensation there is that of a lighter tire, and in my opinion, this is what sets the Cazadero apart from the crowd. This makes the Cazadero a tire I feel would be a perfect match for a bike set up for mixed surface rides, touring, or as a great “all around” tire for any bike suited to gravel roads."
Lovely Bicycle's Impressions of blogger BikeyFace's Buena Vista:
As far as my impressions, the ride exceeded my expectations. Basically: vroom. Super-responsive, quick to accelerate, fast rolling. On flat terrain, the bike moved with me, almost effortlessly.... As far as toe overlap with the 50cm Vista frame, this will depend on your shoe size and on whether you have fenders. I experienced a bit of it, but not much....
Depending on whose fit philosophy she follows, a woman of my height could end up on either the 50cm, 54cm, or 58cm Soma Buena Vista. Having tried the extremes of this spectrum, I believe that either size can work, depending on what qualities you are looking for in the bike. When I tried the 58cm Buena Vista last year, its long virtual top tube and high, wide, swept-back handlebars made it feel like a lightweight, faster version of a Dutch bike. By contrast, the 50cm Vista with its low, narrow, upside down North Roads felt like the lovechild or a modern roadbike and a pathracer. Go large for more tame, upright. Go small for more aggressive, roadish. In each case, the bike felt stable and the ride quality was pleasant. At $499 MSRP for the frameset, this fun and versatile machine is a good value. (Dec. 2012)
Saga Touring Bike Reviewed at Paul's Bicycle Pages Nov. '12
... The bike handles as good as it looks. It is much quicker and nimbler than the Surly Truckers yet every bit as rock solid when bombing down a steep hill with 50 pounds of touring gear. Cornering is precise with no tendency to over or under steer. On my 10 day trip over to and down the coast it was a pleasure to ride and comfortable for long days in the saddle. I've been commuting on this bike in all kinds of conditions and it always feels solid and secure.....
So I got to do my Coast Tour and since then have been riding the Saga as my everyday commuter. I really felt like I had the Cadillac of touring bikes compared to what all the people I met on the coast were riding. I know you can tour on lesser bikes but it really is more enjoyable when you have the right equipment. Even with a custom build the Soma Saga is still in the same price range as the Surly LHT and the Salsa Vaya. While they are all good bikes I really feel the Saga is a cut above in quality.
Read the whole thing here.
Lovely Bicycle's Review of the Soma Smoothie May '12
"The Soma Smoothie is an intriguing bike and I am grateful to have it at my disposal for long enough to truly get to know it. My most dominant impression so far is that it is extremely comfortable for something so aggressive and speedy. It strikes me as a good choice for those who "want it all" in a single road bike - speed, comfort, as well as options for commuting and randonneuring - and want it at a reasonable price."
She also was happy she had no toe overlap on her 52cm frame.
More at --- http://lovelybike.blogspot.com/2012/06/soma-smoothie-impressionism.html.
Bicycling Magazine Tests the Buena Vista Mixte Dec. '11
While I admire the beauty of many cruisers and town bikes, some feel frustratingly sluggish. Meanwhile, speedier townies seem to sacrifice the good looks or loungelike comfort I consider essential. The Buena Vista bridges these gaps. It's essentially a road bike that's easy to throw a leg over, thanks to the mixte design. The Tange Infinity steel frame and fork and the high-volume tires ride smoothly on all but the roughest roads. The frame accommodates a range of components; I built mine with a mustache bar and a three-by-eight-speed drivetrain using down-tube shifters for a retro vibe. A drop bar and integrated shifters would look equally at home and would make the bike suitable for longer rides. A number of attachment points let you outfit fenders (it accepts up to 28c tires with fenders; 33c without) and racks, which I took advantage of, easily carrying light loads around town.
Soma Saga: Adventure Cyclist Road Test Aug/Sept '11
...the Saga serves up a very stable, reassuring ride... I was very suprised at how well the Saga climbed while loaded – at no point did I feel as though I was wrestling with the bike... adding weight to the front made the Saga track as if on rails. To download the PDF of the two-page review click here.
Soma Buena Vista Review in Bicycle Times #11, June '11"Diced through congested city streets like a Ginsu knife." PDF file
Soma Buena Vista (650b)Review on Lovely Bicycle Blog Apr. '11
"solidly constructed, versatile frame with comfortable geometry"
Soma Double Cross Review in Bicycling, Oct. '10
"The Bike That Does It All"
Soma Buena Vista Review in Paved (Premiere issue)
"offers a fresh take on the mixte"
Soma Double Cross DC Review on BikeCommuters.com and MtnBikeRiders.com (June '10)
"The Soma can fly like a mofo" (Tested with flat bars!)
"The ride quality of the steel was quickly apparent..."
"I ride no handed fairly often to take pressure off my hands. Riding no handed was never a problem on the Rush."
Soma Steel Core Tire Levers - Cyclingnews.com (Dec. '05)
"an elegant solution to the ongoing problem of tight tyre beads on oversized rims"
